Developing Story: Benin Republic yet to arraign Igboho

22 Jul Developing Story: Benin Republic yet to arraign Igboho

Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho) has not been arraigned in court in Benin Republic, as expected.

According to a BBC Yoruba report, his supporters who stormed a court in Cotonou left disappointment when he was not brought there.

Igboho, who is being detained by Police Criminal Brigade Command, Berlier, was expected to be arraigned before a judge in Paequet.

More than 48 hours after his arrest and detention, the Federal Ministry of Justice has said it is yet to receive official briefing on the development.

Meanwhile, Igboho’s lawyer Yomi Alliyu (SAN), who had said the extradition hearing would hold yesterday, has shed more light into how he was arrested by Beninnise security officials.

Speaking on Rave FM, a radio station in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, Aliu said Igboho, his wife and brother were travelling.

He said they were already inside the aircraft before someone called attention to the fact that Igboho was wanted in Nigeria.

He said: “Somebody pointed out that Igboho had been on the wanted list and he was inside the plane. He was arrested immediately and there was a standby helicopter to take him to Nigeria. Sunday, his wife and his brother put up a fight at the airport, which attracted some Yoruba indigenes in the place, and they came to their rescue. He was beaten with a hard object in his hand that left him in pain.

Despite the injury, they still kept him handcuffs, saying that they have an order from above.

Alliyu debunked the report that Igboho was lured into arrest.

Igboho’s spokesman, Olayomi Koiki in a live broadcast on Wednesday night, said: “At this point we cannot back down, all the lawyers are working tirelessly for his freedom”

Yesterday, some youths took to the streets of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, to protest the arrest of Igboho along with his wife at an airport in Cotonou on Monday night by security operatives in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

The protesters gathered in front of Igboho’s house in the Soka area of Ibadan from where they took to the streets on Wednesday afternoon.

They demanded the immediate release of Igboho from detention as they chanted “Igboho Oosa”, “Free Igboho now now”.

They blocked some sections of the road, which led to a traffic snarl around the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.